Zika scare: MP violates blood donation norms

BHOPAL: Confusion prevails over guidelines framed to check the spread of Zika infection and blood donation. The Union government’s national blood transfusion council (NBTC) guidelines state to disqualify donation of blood by a Zika-infected person at least for four months. On the other hand, MP is permitting blood donation after four weeks only.

The vector-borne disease has spread its tentacles to one more district— Hardataking the total number of affected districts to eight.

On Thursday, 32 samples were tested out of which three were found positive for Zika fever and all positive cases were from Bhopal.

“Those, who have been diagnosed for Zika fever, should not be allowed to donate blood for at least one month and those who visited the places affected by Zika should also refrain from blood donation for about two weeks,” said MP health department joint director Dr Rakesh Mushi. He said it to be from an MP health department Zika alert circular issued in 2016.

NBTC’s donor selection, referral guidelines and circular issued on October 2017 directed blood banks across the country not to accept blood from people, who have visited Zika-affected or Zikainfected. It states: “In case of Zika infection, defer for four months following recovery. In case of history of travel to endemic Zika virus outbreak zone, the same protocol is followed.”

Zika virus is a new challenge for blood transfusion, according to a study published in The Lancet.

Unlike other vector-borne ailment like dengue and chikungunya, Zika virus can be spread by blood transfusion and sexual intercourse.

With over 100 Zika cases already diagnosed in MP, blood transfusion and possible transmission of Zika is a clear and presents threat, said experts. “As per the protocol, we do not accept a donor, with a history of fever and other recent sickness,” said Gandhi Medical College blood bank in-charge, Dr U M Sharma.

The post-surveillance programmes are important to detect Zika virus infections among the blood donors, as surveillance can only detect blood donors with the disease.

Currently, a mandatory check for a blood donor does not include Zika infection. Blood donors are checked for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, syphilis and malaria.